Hawaii begins to create a state-recognized tribe. SB1520 passed the legislature on May 3, 2011, and was signed by Governor Abercrombie on July 6, 2011 to become Act 195. Why did they do it? What happens now? Governor Abercrombie named the five members of the Roll Commission on September 8. On July 20, 2012 a ceremony was held at Liliuokalani house to kick off a year-long process to recruit ethnic Hawaiians to sign up for the racial registry under the Roll Commission. The OHA monthly newspaper for October 2012 devoted several pages to explaining the importance of the new racial registry. Dec 20 news report says only 7,000 signatures have been collected.

On May 3, 2011, the Hawaii legislature passed SB1520. None of the 51 Representatives voted against it. It was signed by Governor Abercrombie on July 6, 2011 to become Act 195. Sam Slom was the only one among 25 Senators who had the guts to vote "No."

By itself the bill seems harmless. It does only two things: (1) It arbitrarily declares that ethnic Hawaiians are Hawaii's only indigenous people; (2) It empowers the Governor to appoint a 5-member commission to create a membership roll for a new private members-only group which I shall call "Klub Kanaka." To join KK someone must prove he/she is ethnic Hawaiian, at least 18 years old, and has "maintained a significant cultural, social, or civic connection to the Native Hawaiian community and wishes to participate in the organization of the Native Hawaiian governing entity." But harmless as that may sound, SB1520 sets in motion a process whose expressed purpose is to break apart Hawaii along racial lines.

For ten years the Akaka bill's only requirement for tribal membership was race; and that invited court challenges. But now, to become a member of Klub Kanaka, someone must have "maintained a significant cultural, social, or civic connection to the Native Hawaiian community." The only reason the new requirement was added to the Akaka bill in 2009 (and SB1520 in 2011)was to make it appear that the Akaka tribe (KK) was an already-existing political entity and not based solely on race. But the new requirement is very vague. Any of the 110,000 people who signed the Kau Inoa racial registry (and got the free T-shirt) could thereby claim to have a "significant cultural, social, or civic connection to the Native Hawaiian community." Likewise anyone who received or applied for a homeland lease, anyone who attended Kamehameha Schools; or perhaps even anyone who joined a hula halau, canoe paddling club, or Dartmouth University Hawaiian Club, provided he/she is of the "right" race.

The bill says: "The Native Hawaiian people are hereby recognized as the only indigenous, aboriginal, maoli people of Hawaii." "Native Hawaiian" is defined as "An individual who is a descendant of the aboriginal peoples who, prior to 1778, occupied and exercised sovereignty in the Hawaiian islands, the area that now constitutes the State of Hawaii." But as we know from the recent revival of Polynesian voyaging, there were no humans who sprang up as indigenous from these islands. The original settlers of the archipelago arrived perhaps 1500 years ago, probably from the Marquesas Islands, and were either wiped out or enslaved by the second group of settlers who came from Tahiti only about seven centuries ago. The Caucasian people of England can be called "indigenous" with longer tenure in England than the Hawaiians have in Hawaii, since the Anglo-Saxons arrived in England around 400 AD while the Norman Conquest (comparable to the Tahitian takeover of Hawaii) happened in 1066. If it would seem strange to call the Caucasian people of England "indigenous" then it should be even more strange to call ethnic Hawaiians "indigenous." According to some definitions of "indigenous", anyone born and raised in Hawaii is indigenous to Hawaii. The sole reason for inserting 1778 (when Captain Cook arrived) as a cutoff date is to impose a racial restriction by excluding Asians and Euro-Americans. Furthermore, as Professor Emerita Rubellite Kawena Kinney Johnson famously said, we are all indigenous people (of this Earth).

But the legislature is not concerned with fact; it is concerned with politics. No court of law would overturn SB1520 on account of historical or anthropological facts regarding whether ethnic Hawaiians are "indigenous." The courts would call this a "political question" meaning that the doctrine of separation of powers in the U.S. Constitution requires courts to give way to the legislative and executive branches unless something they do is a clear violation of Constitutional rights.

SB1520 refers to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which President Obama recently endorsed. By declaring that ethnic Hawaiians are Hawaii's indigenous people, the bill makes it likely that Klub Kanaka will invoke all sorts of moral, legal, and economic demands against the State of Hawaii under "international law." Incidentally, the United Nations has never been able to agree on a definition of "indigenous", thus rendering the Declaration somewhat useless.

Here are some of the likely results of SB1520:

The independence activists will use SB1520 to demand secession on account of the U.N. Declaration's Article 3, quoted in bold print in the bill, that "Indigenous peoples have the right to self-determination. By virtue of that right they freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development."

There is nothing in SB1520 that restricts membership in Klub Kanaka to citizens or residents of Hawaii (or even of the United States). Approximately half of all ethnic Hawaiians are not residents of Hawaii. If land or services are being given to members of KK at the expense of the State of Hawaii, tens of thousands of ethnic Hawaiians are likely to "come home" to a welfare magnet Hawaii they have never seen, in order to cash in. And if KK decides to send annual checks to all members (as many Indian tribes do with casino profits), they can continue living elsewhere while spending Hawaii's money there.

Once Klub Kanaka has established its membership roll and elected its leaders, it will begin to make demands for the transfer from the State of Hawaii to KK of lands, buildings, money, and jurisdictional authority. Over the years there have been repeated assertions that all the "ceded lands" (95% of all the public lands of Hawaii) rightfully belong to ethnic Hawaiians. Hawaii will eventually be reduced to a shrunken, impoverished shell while Klub Kanaka thrives. In an interview published in "Indian Country Today" on March 22, 2005, now-Governor Abercrombie agreed that all the ceded lands should belong to Klub Kanaka. He said "We're talking about 2.2 million acres of land. And the capital now residing with the OHA is between $350 and $500 million, depending on the stock market, with an income stream from leases on ceded land and so on of tens of millions of dollars."

Ethnic Hawaiians who hold leadership positions in the state and county governments have a clear conflict of interest when they make decisions about handing over land, money, and jurisdictional authority to the state-recognized Klub Kanaka or to a future federally recognized Akaka tribe. Since everyone over age 18 who has a drop of Hawaiian native blood (and belongs to any "Hawaiian" groups) is eligible to join Klub Kanaka and the Akaka tribe, all ethnic Hawaiian government officials will be in a position of handing over state and county resources to themselves and their families. That conflict of interest was blatantly and unashamedly displayed in the state Senate during final passage of SB1520. See the newspaper blog (posted below) in which political reporter Derrick DePledge describes the racialist attitude and "cutting edge" of comments on the Senate floor by state Sen. Gilbert Kahele, state Sen. Malama Solomon, state Senate Majority Leader Brickwood Galuteria, state Sen. Pohai Ryan, state Sen. J. Kalani English, and state Sen. Clayton Hee. A detailed analysis of this racial conflict of interest is at
http://www.angelfire.com/big09a/AkakaHawnConflictRecuse.html

The best outcome for Hawaii would be for the process set in motion by SB1520 to fizzle and die. That's what actually happened with a similar process that started more than a decade ago and was funded by Hawaii taxpayers. As the bill itself recounts: Hawaii "has supported the Sovereignty Advisory Council, the Hawaiian Sovereignty Advisory Commission, the Hawaiian Sovereignty Elections Council, and Native Hawaiian Vote, and the convening of the Aha Hawai'i 'Oiwi (the Native Hawaiian Convention)." The convention produced two proposed Constitutions (one for an independent nation and one for an Akaka tribe). But in the end the whole process simply died without much of a whimper; although Hayden Burgess (alias Poka Laenui), who became the final chairman of the convention, continues to bemoan the demise of the convention on his radio program and calls for it to be reconvened. In his mind both the Hawaiian Kingdom and the Native Hawaiian Convention still are alive, just like some nostalgia buffs say about Elvis Presley and now also Osama Bin Laden.

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The racial divisiveness of SB1520 is clearly shown in a blog entry by political reporter Derrick DePledge the day after the bill was passed. Note the racial zealotry shown by the ethnic Hawaiian Senators during final passage, especially Clayton Hee who spent many years as Chairman of the board of trustees of the mothership of racism in Hawaii, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.

The most heartfelt discussion in the state Senate floor session on Tuesday was over the bill for the state to recognize native Hawaiians as an indigenous people.

Senators of native Hawaiian descent – state Sen. Gilbert Kahele, state Sen. Malama Solomon, state Senate Majority Leader Brickwood Galuteria, state Sen. Pohai Ryan, state Sen. J. Kalani English, and state Sen. Clayton Hee – spoke movingly about what the bill could mean for Hawaiians who have fought to preserve their language and culture in their home land. They spoke of the importance of forgiveness, healing and reconciliation.

But the discussion also had a cutting edge. Solomon said she did not want her daughter to be brought up in a Hawaii with the weight of the overthrow still hanging over her head. Ryan said the remedy for injustice was long overdue. English said he hoped passage of the bill might finally convince the state House – and the Abercrombie administration – to support using both Hawaiian and English in state documents, an idea passed several times in the Senate.

Hee said that during conference committee, state House Majority Leader Blake Oshiro warned that somebody might file a lawsuit against the bill if it becomes law. Hee wondered whether Oshiro – who is gay – would have had the same worry about the civil-unions bill passed earlier this session and signed into law by Gov. Neil Abercrombie as Act 1.

Just as the majority leader of the House, in conference, said: `Somebody going to sue.'

Of course somebody going to sue. If this legislation wasn't important, nobody would sue. It is because it's important.

But could you imagine my thoughts when listening to the House majority leader that somebody going to sue? After we passed Act 1? Somebody going to sue? Of course, because Act 1 is important legislation.

And no wordsmith of the new law of this importance could prevent (conservatives like) Bill Burgess, Kenneth Conklin, (Thurston) Twigg-Smith, from filing a lawsuit.

Bring it on. Bring it on. Because the facts of history will not change, the feelings of the indigenous will not change, and this issue will not go away.

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** Ken Conklin's comment, posted on the DePledge blog

It's very sad for Hawaii that this bill has passed. Mahalo to Senator Sam Slom, the only one of 76 legislators who had the guts to vote against it.

The bill by itself actually does very little, but it sets in motion a process whose expressed purpose is to break apart Hawaii along racial lines.

The bill does two things. (1) It hangs the label "indigenous" on all persons who have a drop of Hawaiian native blood, regardless whether that label is factually or historically correct. (2) It authorizes a 5-member committee to begin a process of enrolling all such "indigenous" people who wish to sign up for a "members-only" club, provided that they have participated in at least one other ethnic Hawaiian membership group (such as attending Kamehameha Schools, signing up for the OHA-sponsored Kau Inoa racial registry, or being a lessee or applicant for Hawaiian homelands).

But eventually, if Klub Kanaka gets created, survives court challenges, and elects leaders, then it will begin making demands to take away land, money, and jurisdictional authority that currently belong to all the people of Hawaii. There will be an adversarial competition as the tribe says gimme, gimme while the State tries to defend its land and power. There will be more and more racial strife, and more and more lawsuits. Hawaii will be forever divided. Humpty Dumpty cannot be put back together again.

There is hope that the process will wither and die. That's what happened with the Hawaiian Sovereignty Elections Council and the Native Hawaiian Convention. Delegates were elected, a convention was held, two conflicting constitutions were written, but in the end the whole process simply died without much of a whimper.

See my webpage commentary about SB1520 at
http://tinyurl.com/3rzjdrf

And see my book "Hawaiian Apartheid: Racial Separatism and Ethnic Nationalism in the Aloha State." 27 copies are available in the Hawaii Public Library system, and portions of it are online at
http://tinyurl.com/2a9fqa

The comments on the floor of the Senate illustrate the racial divisiveness of this bill, especially Clayton Hee's vicious "Bring it on!" For my reply, I quote the statement of a proud American who led a rebellion against the ruthless killers who had hijacked an airplane to use it as a weapon: "Let's roll." The analogy is a good one. Ten years ago it was Islamists who hijacked airplanes for use as weapons to blow up buildings in pursuing a religious and ethnic ideology. Today it's the "Hawaiian Caucus" who are hijacking the state legislature with a bill whose ultimate result and stated purpose is to blow up unity and equality in the State of Hawaii.

-------------------

July 6, 2011: Hawaii Governor Abercrombie signed SB1520, the bill that begins a process to create a state-recognized tribe for ethnic Hawaiians, and is intended to tie in with the federal Akaka bill. SB1520 will now be known as Act 195. There were protests by ethnic Hawaiians on the street and in published op-eds reaching as far as London: See compilation of news reports for July 1-7 at
http://big09.angelfire.com/AkakaHistStartJuly1of2011.html

Followup news reports and commentaries about the progress of implementing SB1520 will be tracked on the webpage above, and continuation webpages tracking the progress of the Akaka bill in the 112th Congress throughout 2011 and 2012.

On July 24, 2011 a small new webpage was created, to call attention to an essay that has gone viral in e-mails around the world, entitled "I wish I was a Maori." The webpage describes how Act 195 will move Hawaii toward New Zealand and Fiji through racial set-asides of land, money, and political power; to the point where Caucasians will wish they were ethnic Hawaiians. See
http://www.angelfire.com/big09/WishIWasAMaori.html

----------------

On August 19, 2011 the following webpage was created:

"OHA is a state government agency despite its assertions to the contrary. It must disclose its income, budget, and expenditures. OHA, the new Act 195 state recognized tribe, and any future federally recognized Akaka tribe are government-created agencies and therefore must all comply with the 15th and 14th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution."
http://www.angelfire.com/big09/OHAstateagency.html

» Lei Kihoi, former staff attorney for Judge Walter Heen. Kihoi has served the Native Hawaiian community in various roles for more than 25 years.

» Mahealani Perez-Wendt, executive director of the Native Hawaiian Legal Corp. for 32 years before retiring in December 2009.

» Robin Puanani Danner, president and chief executive officer of the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement.

The commission was established under Senate Bill 1520, signed into law earlier this year. It formally recognizes Native Hawaiians as "the only indigenous, aboriginal, maoli population" of the islands and supports efforts in Congress to gain federal recognition for Hawaiians, similar to that offered to American Indians and Alaska Natives. The commission would continue the effort at a state level regardless of whether that goal is achieved.

The commission is to prepare and maintain a roll of qualified Hawaiians who meet specific criteria. Qualified members must be at least 18 years old, be able to trace ancestry back to 1778, show that they have maintained their culture and be willing to participate.

Once the roll is finished, the commission would be required to publish the registry to start the process of holding a convention to organize a Hawaiian governing entity. The governor would then disband the commission.

The commission is funded by the Office of Hawaiian Affairs but is to operate independently of the agency.

----------------

http://www.canadianbusiness.com/article/44158--native-hawaiian-roll-commission-members-announced
Canadian Business, September 9, 2011

Native Hawaiian Roll Commission members announced

By AP [Associated Press]

HONOLULU (AP) — Former Gov. John Waihee has been named as an at-large member of a commission responsible for preparing and maintaining a roll of qualified Native Hawaiians interested in participating in their own government.
He is to join four others named to the Native Hawaiian Roll Commission, Gov. Neil Abercrombie announced Thursday. Creation of the commission is the next step in allowing Native Hawaiians to establish their own government. In July, Abercrombie signed a bill into law formally recognizing Native Hawaiians as the only indigenous people of Hawaii.

Waihee, 65, of Honolulu, was the first Native Hawaiian governor, serving two terms from 1986 to 1994. In 1993, he created the Hawaiian Sovereignty Advisory Commission.

"Now is the time to unify as a people," Waihee said. "The belief in our nation building process is being realized. It has been a long time coming but today we have a renewed sense of confidence for our people and our future."
Naalehu Anthony, chief executive director of Oiwi TV and principal of Paliku Documentary Films, was named as the Oahu commissioner. Anthony, 36, of Kailua, is also director and executive producer of Ahai Olelo Ola, Hawaiian language news.

Lei Kihoi is the Hawaii County commissioner. Kihoi, 66, of Kailua-Kona, is a former staff attorney for Judge Walter Heen. She wrote and promoted legislation on Hawaiian issues.

Maui County's commissioner is Mahealani Perez-Wendt [formerly known as Mahealani Kamau'u], who was executive director of the Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation for 32 years. Perez-Wendt, 64, of Wailuanui, was the first Native Hawaiian board member for the Native American Rights Fund.

Kauai commissioner Robin Puanani Danner is president of chief executive officer of the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement. Danner, 48, of Anahola, developed programs including the first statewide Native Loan Fund and the Hawaii Family Finance Project.

-----------------

** OHA press release sent by e-mail

OHA prepares for new Roll Commission

From: "Office of Hawaiian Affairs"

OHA prepares for new Roll Commission

HONOLULU (Sept. 8, 2011)– The Office of Hawaiian Affairs today offered its full support to the commissioners who have been selected by Gov. Neil Abercrombie to play a key role in the nation-building process for Native Hawaiians.

OHA officials expressed a continued desire to assist the new five-member Native Hawaiian Roll Commission, which will be responsible for preparing and maintaining a roll of qualified Native Hawaiians.

While the independent commission will be attached to OHA for administrative purposes, the OHA Board of Trustees has already approved $381,000 to fund the commission for operations and implementation of its new responsibilities.
"I am pleasantly surprised and pleased with the governor's appointments to the Native Hawaiian Roll Commission," said OHA Chairperson Colette Machado. "I also appreciate the thoughtful consideration that the governor is giving to help ensure the success of our efforts towards Native Hawaiian self-governance."

OHA Chief Executive Officer Clyde W. Nämu'o added: "We are committed to working with the Native Hawaiian Roll Commission and the Hawaiian community in moving this effort forward. We see this commission as a nice complement to our efforts to enable Native Hawaiians to create a better future for themselves."

The commission was established under a state law enacted on July 6, 2011, which recognized Native Hawaiians as the only indigenous, aboriginal, maoli people of Hawaii.

=================

** ON FRIDAY JULY 20, 2012 THE NATIVE HAWAIIAN ROLL COMMISSION BEGAN A ONE-YEAR PROCESS OF COLLECTING SIGNATURES FROM ETHNIC HAWAIIANS WHO WANT TO IDENTIFY THEMSELVES AS "NATIVE HAWAIIAN" AND PARTICIPATE IN CREATING A STATE-RECOGNIZED TRIBE UNDER SB1520 WHICH BECAME ACT 195 IN YEAR 2011. AN EVENT WAS HELD AT WASHINGTON PLACE, THE HOME OF EX-QUEEN LILIUOKALANI. THE IDEA IS THAT EVENTUALLY THE ACT 195 TRIBE CAN SEEK FEDERAL RECOGNITION THROUGH A MODIFIED AKAKA BILL. BECAUSE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF TIS EVENT, NUMEROUS NEWS REPORTS ABOUT THIS EVENT, PUBLISHED JULY 20 AND 21, HAVE BEEN COMPILED BELOW. ALL THE NEWS REPORTS ARE BASED ON SOME SORT OF PRESS RELEASE, BUT INCLUDE ADDITIONAL MATERIAL UNIQUE TO THE INDIVIDUAL NEWSPAPER OR TV STATION.

The name of the process for creating a membership roll is "Kana'iolowalu". It has a website at
http://kanaiolowalu.org/
A description of the registration process is at
http://kanaiolowalu.org/registernow/
A registration form is at
http://kanaiolowalu.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/011_03_RegistrationForm_v7-5-12.pdf
The form includes the following three Declarations, to which the registrant affixes his signature:
Declaration One. I affirm the unrelinquished sovereignty of the Native Hawaiian people, and my intent to participate in the process of self-governance.
Declaration Two. I have a significant cultural, social or civic connection to the Native Hawaiian community.
Declaration Three. I am a Native Hawaiian: a lineal descendant of the people who lived and exercised sovereignty in the Hawaiian islands prior to 1778, or a person who is eligible for the programs of the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act, 1920, or a direct lineal descendant of that person.

** Ken Conklin posted the following comment online to several of the newspaper or TV station website news reports (although some of the comments had to be shortened to comply with length restrictions):

So, the minority among the ethnic Hawaiians who are racists can sign up for the racial registry to become members of the Act 195 state-recognized Akaka tribe. The majority of ethnic Hawaiians will not sign up for it, but the tribe will be created anyway and will speak for all ethnic Hawaiians even though most of them do not like it. And then there's a petition where those who lack a drop of the magic blood but want to be enablers and supporters of racism can sign the petition. Shame on both groups.

There's nothing wrong with people joining a private club -- even a club based on ethnicity. Nothing wrong with the See Dai Doo, the Japanese Cultural Center, etc. But the race-based Akaka tribe is being created with State of Hawaii government money, will demand land and money from the government, and seeks to become a "nation" exercising governmental powers. OHA, the new Act 195 state recognized tribe, and any future federally recognized Akaka tribe are government-created agencies and therefore must all comply with the 15th and 14th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution. See
http://tinyurl.com/3qtycqs

Note also the arrogant brazenness of the racial registry's name: Kana'iolowalu. It means conquest by swarming. It's a blatant attempt to take over the government and defeat all who believe in unity and equality. Stand up and fight back!

Native Hawaiians are being asked to put their names on a registry created by state law.

Appropriately enough the first two names to be signed in the Native Hawaiian Roll Commission registry were the names of Senators Daniel Akaka and Daniel Inouye.

"And for the next twelve months you will have an opportunity to sign up to become enrolled in a list, a certified list, what is commonly referred to as the base roll," said Clyde Numu'o of the Native Hawaiian Roll Commission.

But you don't have to be Native Hawaiian to sign; non-Hawaiians are also encouraged to sign a petition in support of Native Hawaiians to restore self-governance to the Hawaiian Nation.

"Hawaiians are not only on a quest for justice, they are also afraid. They are are afraid that when they look at the last few years that what we have left may be threatened," said former governor, John Waihe'e.

Governor Waihe'e feels it's important for everyone to be counted.

"Now is the time to stand and be counted, unrelinquished, undeterred, united," Waihe'e said.

The registry was established by Act 195 which was signed into law by Governor Neil Abercrombie. He marked this day with a proclamation.

Governor Neil Abercrombie said that the "petition for any person to sign as a show of support for the Kana'iolowalu registry and the efforts for the Hawaiian people to restore self-governance."

HONOLULU - Music, emotion and the spirit of aloha filled Washington Place on Friday as members of the Native Hawaiian Roll Commission began a yearlong effort to register native Hawaiians toward the creation of a future sovereign government.

Known as Kana'iolowalu, the program hopes to register 200,000 or more native Hawaiians before a self-imposed deadline of July 19, 2013.

Former two-term Hawaii Gov. John Waihee is the commissioner at-large and chairman of the Native Hawaiian Roll Commission.

Waihee said native Hawaiians have become somewhat fearful of the future after decisions that peeled back native Hawaiian rights.

He pointed to a 2000 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that allowed non-Hawaiians to vote in Office of Hawaiian Affairs' elections, a 2008 decision by the Hawaii Supreme Court that said former Hawaiian monarch lands, known as ceded lands, can be sold once all claims are settled, and continuing challenges to Kamehameha Schools' Hawaiians-only policy as clear examples of native Hawaiian rights under attack.

"They are afraid when they look at the last few years to see what little we have left, maybe threatened," said Waihee. "We don't know what it'll be like 30 or 40 years from now when the state government can sell lands that are part of our heritage any time it desires."

The effort to register native Hawaiians onto an official roll is being funded by the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, which has encumbered close to $4 million in funds, according to OHA chairwoman Colette Machado.

"We provide support for staffing, as well as the office operation and the fiscal oversight for all of the employees," said Machado, who said OHA has already registered 60,000 native Hawaiians

The media campaign for Kana'iolowalu is not limited to Hawaii, but rather, will go nationwide. A website has been created, www.kanaiolowalu.com, allowing Hawaiians to register online.

A native Hawaiian is defined as someone who lived and exercised sovereignty in the Hawaiian Islands prior to 1778, or a person who is eligible for the programs of the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act of 1920, or, a direct lineal descendant of that person.

Hawaii Sen. Dan Akaka, champion of the Akaka Bill, issued a video statement to those gathered at Washington Place. The bill, which would create the mechanism for a native Hawaiian government, has been stalled in Congress for the past several years.

"This is an effort that has been needed all these years, and that is to bring governance back to the native Hawaiian people," Akaka said of the push to register native Hawaiians. "They can come together as native Hawaiian people to express their self-determination and now self-governance."

Gov. Neil Abercrombie became emotional when he spoke of his determination to make Hawaiian sovereignty a reality.

"Never from the day I was blessed to arrive on the shores of Hawaii did it occur to me that it would be my charge in life to be a catalyst in this transformation," the governor said, as tears filled his eyes. "I'm filled with resolve to do my best, with every fiber of my being to be worthy of that charge."

Waihee added that non-Hawaiians who remain skeptical or fearful of native Hawaiian sovereignty should look to the spirit of aloha for guidance.

"We cannot do this alone," said Waihee. "This task was given to you as well as to us, because without your support, there is no way that we can see self-governance returned to the Hawaiian people."

Abercrombie signed a proclamation at the end of the ceremony proclaiming July 20, 2012 through July 19, 2013 as the year of Kana'iolowalu.

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - At Washington Place, the sounding of conch shells preceded a plea from the chairman of the Native Hawaiian Roll Commission.

"For all of us who aloha Hawaii, now is the time to stand and be counted," John Waihee said.

Last year Gov. Neil. Abercrombie created the five-member commission to oversee the registering of Hawaiians who want to participate in organizing a governing entity.

"For us, the goal is not just getting a number. The goal is engaging our community in making sure that our community moves along with us as we work towards self-governance," commission member Naalehu Anthony said.

In a taped message, U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka told the audience "this is an effort that has been needed all these years."

Akaka, the key proponent of federal recognition for native Hawaiians, was the first to join the roll.

The commission has a year to gather signatures. In 2013 they'll turn them over to the governor.

"Never from the day I was blessed to arrive on the shores of Hawaii did it occur to me that it would be my charge in life to be a catalyst in this transformation," Abercrombie said.

Non-Hawaiians can also participate by signing a petition affirming they agree with native Hawaiian sovereignty.

"We need your help," Waihee said. "We cannot do this alone. This task was given to you as well as to us."

Opponents of the roll commission's effort say it will divide Hawaiians and ensnare Hawaii in the U.S. system.

"I would invite all groups to come and walaau and to talk story with us to understand what perspective we have and where we're coming from because it is meant to be the most inclusive thing as possible," Anthony said.

The project has been named Kanaiolowalu, the sound of coming together.

State launches Native Hawaiian registry
The yearlong effort seeks people eligible to help work toward self-governance

By Rosemarie Bernardo

Kana'iolowalu, a campaign of the Native Hawaiian Roll Commission to create a registry of Native Hawaiians who will be eligible to participate in the development of a governing entity, kicked off Friday with a ceremony at Washington Place.

More than 100 people attended the launch. Attendees included lawmakers, Office of Hawaiian Affairs trustees and members of the Royal Order of Kamehameha I and 'Ahahui Ka'ahumanu.

Enrollment began Friday and will remain open until July 19. A petition is also available for non-Hawaiians who want to support self-governance for Hawaiians.

Print and television ads are expected to begin soon to inform the public of locations where registration forms will be available. The commission's goal is to register 200,000 Native Hawaiians in the state and abroad. There is no blood quantum requirement.

Registration can be done online at www.kanaiolowalu.org. The self-governance petition open to non-Hawaiians is also available on the website.

Former Gov. John Waihee, chairman of the Native Hawaiian Roll Commission, spoke at the ceremony, where he honored Queen Liliuokaani.

"This is the home of Queen Liliuokalani, and it was (due to) her action and our kupuna's steadfast refusal to yield the sovereignty of the Hawaiian people that we today can refer to ourselves as their beneficiaries," said Waihee.

He called on non-Hawaiians for their support.

"We need your help. We cannot do this alone," Wai hee said. "This task was given to you as well as to us, because without your support, there is no way that we can see self-governance returned to the Hawaiian people."

Attendees stood and applauded as Waihee called for the community to unite to work toward the goal of self-recognition for Hawaiians. "The message is simple, really simple, and it is this: For all of us who aloha Hawaii, now is the time to stand and being counted, unrelinquished, undeterred, united."

Gov. Neil Abercrombie choked up as he addressed the crowd.

"Never from the day I was blessed to arrive on the shores of Hawaii did it occur to me that it would be my charge in life to be a catalyst in this transformation. I'm filled with resolve to do my best with every fiber of my being to be worthy of that charge," Abercrombie said.

In July 2011, Abercrombie signed Act 195, which would work toward establishing a Hawaiian governing entity. The legislation also created the Native Hawaiian Roll Commission, comprised of members appointed by the governor to develop and oversee the process of enrolling Hawaiians in the registry.

U.S. Sens. Daniel Akaka and Daniel Ino uye did not attend the ceremony, but addressed attendees via a prerecorded video.

The registry was an effort that was needed all these years, Akaka said. "This is something that will make a huge difference."

Akaka, who is of Hawaiian and Chinese descent, was among the first to register online. Both Akaka and Inouye also signed the petition in support of self-governance for Hawaiians.

Colette Machado, chairwoman of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, said the registry is what the organization has been waiting for. OHA encouraged those who signed up for Kau Inoa to be part of the Kana'iolowalu registry as the next step toward self-recognition.

Kau Inoa was initiated as a registry of Native Hawaiians on Jan. 17, 2004, the anniversary of the 1893 overthrow of the kingdom of Hawaii. OHA hosts the registry website.

"It's been unfortunate that over the last 12 years, there's been challenges to question the Native Hawaiian indigenous people, the kanaka maoli. And we want fair treatment or equal treatment like the Native Americans and Alaskan Natives, to be recognized by the federal government," Machado said. "This is just the first step."

HOW TO SIGN UP

Kana'iolowalu is a yearlong campaign of the Native Hawaiian Roll Commission to create a base roll -- a registry of Native Hawaiians who will be eligible to participate in the formation of a sovereign government. Registration opened Friday and will remain open until July 19.

Anyone of Native Hawaiian descent age 18 and older is eligible. Registrants must show a copy of their birth certificate to show lineal descent. There is no residency requirement and no blood quantum requirement.

People can register online at www.kanaiolowalu.org. A petition also is available on the website for both Hawaiians and non-Hawaiians to sign to support self-governance for Hawaiians.

HONOLULU (AP) — Hawaii lawmakers and supporters of a push to recognize Native Hawaiians as a sovereign people are launching a yearlong effort to recruit people to take part in its governance.

Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie joined former Gov. John Waihee and others Friday at a ceremony in Honolulu to begin creating a base roll of native Hawaiians.

"For all of us who aloha Hawaii, now is the time to stand and be counted," said Waihee, Hawaii's first Native Hawaiian governor and chairman of the Native Hawaiian Roll Commission.

The roll is a step toward Native Hawaiians forming their own government, similar to many American Indian tribes across the United States. The state of Hawaii officially recognizes Native Hawaiians as the only indigenous people of Hawaii, but the federal government does not. Federal legislation for Hawaiian recognition hasn't passed despite more than a decade of efforts by U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii.

"This is something that will make a huge difference," Akaka said in a video message to those attending the ceremony held in a large lanai at Washington Place. Across the street from the state Capitol, Washington Place is the former home of the last monarch of the Hawaiian Kingdom, Queen Liliuokalani.

A separate group of Hawaiian nationals are protesting the push, saying the state doesn't have lawful authority to make way for a separate Native Hawaiian government and the process is excluding non-Native Hawaiians and Hawaiian nationals.

Waihee said the effort will help ease tension between Native Hawaiians and other Hawaii residents.

An emotional Abercrombie said the effort has become part of his calling to live in and serve Hawaii.

"Mahalo for welcoming all of us who are Hawaiian in our hearts," Abercrombie said.

Abercrombie proclaimed the next year to be dedicated to the effort in Hawaii. The commission will collect names through July 2013 and submit them to the governor's office late next year.

A state analysis of 2010 U.S. Census data shows 290,000 Hawaii residents identify as either fully or partially Native Hawaiian. Native Hawaiians represent the state's fourth-largest race, both among those who identify themselves as of a single race or multiracial. Hawaii has more whites, Filipinos and Japanese.
The number of people who identified only as Native Hawaiian stayed the same in 2000 and 2010 at just over 80,000. That represents less than 6 percent of Hawaii's total population of nearly 1.4 million.

HONOLULU - Hawaii lawmakers and supporters of a push to recognize Native Hawaiians as a sovereign people are launching a yearlong effort to recruit people to take part in its governance.

Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie joined former Gov. John Waihee and others Friday at a ceremony in Honolulu to begin creating a base roll of native Hawaiians.

"For all of us who aloha Hawaii, now is the time to stand and be counted," said Waihee, Hawaii's first Native Hawaiian governor and chairman of the Native Hawaiian Roll Commission.

The roll is a step toward Native Hawaiians forming their own government, similar to many American Indian tribes across the United States. The state officially recognizes Native Hawaiians as the only indigenous people of Hawaii, but the federal government does not. Federal legislation for Hawaiian recognition hasn't passed despite more than a decade of efforts by U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii.

"This is something that will make a huge difference," Akaka said in a video message to those attending the ceremony held in a large lanai at Washington Place. Across the street from the state Capitol, Washington Place is the former home of the last monarch of the Hawaiian Kingdom, Queen Liliuokalani.

A separate group of Hawaiian nationals are protesting the push, saying the state doesn't have lawful authority to make way for a separate Native Hawaiian government and the process is excluding non-Native Hawaiians and Hawaiian nationals.

Waihee said the effort will help ease tension between Native Hawaiians and other Hawaii residents.

An emotional Abercrombie said the effort has become part of his calling to live in and serve Hawaii.

"Mahalo for welcoming all of us who are Hawaiian in our hearts," Abercrombie said.

Abercrombie proclaimed the next year to be dedicated to the effort in Hawaii. The commission will collect names through July 2013 and submit them to the governor's office late next year.

A state analysis of 2010 U.S. Census data shows that 290,000 Hawaii residents identify as either fully or partially Native Hawaiian. Native Hawaiians represent the state's fourth-largest race, both among those who identify themselves as of a single race or multiracial. Hawaii has more Caucasians, Filipinos and Japanese.

The number of people who identified only as Native Hawaiian stayed the same in 2000 and 2010 at just over 80,000. That represents less than 6 percent of Hawaii's total population of nearly 1.4 million.

After spending 40 years in the trenches of the sovereignty movement, Native Hawaiian Roll Commissioner Mahealani Wendt says she fully understands why some Hawaiians are suspicious of the panel's efforts to identify who should be involved in forming a self-governing entity.

"I don't blame Hawaiians for being distrustful of me or any other Hawaiian who presumes to undertake these efforts," says Wendt, former executive director of the Native Hawaiian Legal Corp.

"One has only to familiarize oneself with the methodical alienation of Hawaiians from their homeland, using the Western legal system, to understand why they have no trust in Western institutions and its sympathizers," Wendt says. Still, she adds, "I believe we should seize the means at hand to restore our nation, and it begins by identifying who will participate in the process."

The Commission officially launched that process–a year-long effort aimed at creating a roll of native Hawaiians eligible to participate in activities that could lead to the formation of a self-governing entity–in a ceremony conducted jointly at Washington Place and in Washington, D.C., last Friday, July 20. Sens. Daniel Inouye and Daniel Akaka participated by video, while Gov. Neil Abercrombie officiated at the local event.

Hopes and doubts

The prominent endorsement by state and federal officials, coupled with the fact that the Commission and its work was authorized by the state Legislature and funded by the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA), has some Hawaiians wondering whether the process is geared toward achieving federal recognition, as opposed to independence.

"I have great respect for everyone working to make things better, even if we have major strategic differences between us," says community activist Laulani Teale, who has been following the Commission's work since its inception last year. "It is not wrong to pursue different courses of action in gaining sovereignty. However, there is very real danger in this particular course of action, because the U.S. may use it to try to sell us short. We have a very solid international case for full independence, the groundwork for which was laid by our Queen [Liliuokalani] and our many kupuna. We cannot let fear, economic dependence and addiction to 'stuff' steer us away from their wise course of loving resistance. There are some very good people on the Roll Commission, and I hope they represent the opposition to the Roll fairly, with as much aloha, strength and passion as our Queen would have."

Unbroken sovereignty

Commissioner Naalehu Anthony, who "grew up on a picket line" as the child of activist parents, says the panel is basing its work on a premise shared by many Hawaiian nationals–that Hawaiians never relinquished their inherent sovereignty. It stems from the fact that Liliuokalani refused to give up her throne during America's illegal overthrow of the monarchy in 1893.

"I think we're all on a similar path," says Anthony, founder of Paliku Documentary Films. "It's just a question of how we get there."

The Commission has named its effort Kanaiolowalu, which means "the thunderous sound and din heard when many gather."

Roles and the Roll

In an attempt to broaden the discussion, the Commission will also be reaching out to non-Hawaiians through a petition that Anthony likened to the Kue petitions that were drafted in overwhelming opposition to America's 1897 annexation of Hawaii.

Those willing to affirm the inherent sovereignty of Native Hawaiians may sign the Kana`iolowalu petition. However, to qualify for the roll, individuals must be over age 18 and able to prove they are related to the aboriginal peoples who inhabited the Islands prior to 1778. They also must demonstrate a significant cultural, social or civic connection to the Native Hawaiian community.

"Those signatures have never seen sought before," says Soulee Stroud, president of the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs (AOHCC). "To me, it's very inclusive of all citizens."

Though some Hawaiian nationals have dismissed the roll process as a tool of the state, Anthony is encouraging them to participate. "It's not our job to make a government," he says, noting that the Commission will dissolve once the roll is published. "Independence, federal recognition, state recognition–all of these things are up for discussion. But we've got to know who is in the pool [in order] to have a discussion." However, the press release distributed by Abercrombie's office says the process "will eventually lead to federal recognition of Native Hawaiians." OHA officials on hand for the launch also seemed to think that federal recognition was the goal, and that it was attainable.

Self-determination

Poka Laenui, chairperson of Aha Hawaii 'Oiwi, the Native Hawaiian Convention, says that the discussion began in the mid-1990s, when the state and OHA gave Hawaiians a voice in how to address the "illegalities instigated" by the illegal overthrow.

"Extensive consultations were carried out within Hawaiian communities throughout Hawaii and across America," Laenui wrote in an email. "After hearing those voices through the Native Hawaiian Vote, a clear direction was given–have the Hawaiian people elect representatives to meet in a council or convention to propose a form of Hawaiian governance to the Hawaiian people. Elections across Hawaii and the world were held, almost 90 native Hawaiians were elected, and the convention was formed. It produced two tentative proposals–a Hawaiian nation within the United States of America (integration), and an independent Hawaiian nation-state. The first would be limited to native Hawaiians, the second would be an inclusive nation-state of all ancestries."

However, Laenui wrote, both the state legislature and OHA refused to further fund the work of AHO. "Now, the legislature and OHA have tossed to the Hawaiians the Native Hawaiian Roll Commission, designed to integrate the Hawaiians as a 'nation' within U.S. superior jurisdiction. This commission violates the dual principles of self-determination and pono. It violates long-established principles of international law, of self-imposed mandates of the United States found in the U.N. Charter and its international bill of human rights, as well as the recently approved U.N. Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples."

Other groups, such as Alu Like and the Civic Clubs are supporting the Roll Commission. Stroud says AOHCC, which also endorses federal recognition through the Akaka Bill, voted to support the effort at its convention last October, in part because it recognizes "Native Hawaiians as indigenous to the Islands."

He says some Native American groups were able to gain federal recognition after first getting state recognition. "Whether that will be the case here has yet to be determined."

Stroud feels positive about the Roll Commission because it speaks to "unrelinquished sovereignty and a commitment to unification in restoring the Hawaiian nation." That mission sets it apart from earlier enrollment efforts, such as the Hawaiian Registry and Kau Inoa, he says.

OHA's investment

Anthony dismissed speculation that the Roll is geared toward creating a process that will [enable] OHA to assume control of any self-governing entity. "I don't think that's the case at all," he says.

Wendt similarly downplayed OHA's involement. "I also understand and believe that a colonizing state has an obligation to support decolonization," she says. "On those premises, my efforts in the past have been consistent: I am not averse to using state or federal resources to assist in the process of decolonization, especially when those resources derive from Native Hawaiian national assets."

Those resources–some $3.4 million–will be used to fund a campaign employing traditional and social media to reach out to Hawaiians. Stroud says AOHCC will use its network to reach "the large population of Hawaiians who live outside the state."

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August 3, 2012: YouTube video, 92 minutes, of a meeting about the goals and procedures of the Native Hawaiian Roll Commission authorized under Act 195 of 2011 to establish a racial registry for a future Native Hawaiian tribe. Active participants include former Governor John Waihee, who is chairman of the Commission, and Mahealani Wendt, former head of the Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation [when her surname was Kamau'u]. All participants make clear that the state-recognized tribe will pave the way toward total independence. The 92 minute video is fully available instantly, thus allowing viewers to click or drag the timeline to browse through the video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2sBIg74nWI&feature=player_embedded#!

Roll part of effort to achieve self-governance
Group to register, confirm ancestry of 200,000 with Native Hawaiian blood

By CHRIS HAMILTON - Staff Writer The Maui News

WAILUKU - A nonprofit set up by the Legislature and funded by the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Kana'iolowalu, is undertaking an effort to register and confirm the ancestry of an estimated 200,000 people with Native Hawaiian blood as part of a long-term effort to achieve some form of self-governance.

This is a two-part, all-inclusive effort to address long-standing and worsening injustices and social ills facing Native Hawaiians, said Kana'iolowalu, or Native Hawaiian Roll Commission, members Mahealani Perez Wendt of Maui and former Gov. John Waihee. Other Hawaii residents will not be left behind, they added.

Supporters of the modern sovereignty effort who are not Native Hawaiian can sign the nonprofit's petition. Kana'iolowalu's five representative commissioners will host a public meeting at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Queen Lili'uokalani Children's Center at 1791 Wili Pa Loop in Wailuku.

"We feel the community needs to be involved in the process," Waihee said. In order to register or sign the petition, go online at kanaiolowalu.org.

"There are so many Native Hawaiian issues out there that need to be resolved. To speak with one voice on these issues is imperative for some kind of self-governance. What it will look like, we don't know yet," Waihee said.

"But what I can tell you for certain is we are not interested in any private lands, only those ceded (former monarchy) lands controlled by federal and state governments," he said.

The Legislature created the commission last year with Act 195, which Gov. Neil Abercrombie supported.

"The act recognized Native Hawaiians as the indigenous peoples of Hawaii and supports the mission or achievement of self-government," Waihee said.

These ideas have been around for decades now. But it's also completely separate from the Akaka Bill still deadlocked in Congress, which some say doesn't go far enough by providing federal recognition for Native Hawaiians.

Others, many of whom are non-Native Hawaiian residents, worry that the Akaka Bill, or this effort, will result in displacing their property, rights and themselves eventually from Hawaii. Waihee and Wendt said that won't happen.

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs is funding Kana'iolowalu with nearly $4 million, most to confirm the Native Hawaiian ancestry of people who are 18 and older and live anywhere in the world. Other confirmation partners (the law mandates that the information remain confidential) include the state Department of Health, Kamehameha Schools and Kau Inoa.

She said Kana'iolowalu has had thousands of Web hits since the effort began July 20.

Waihee and Wendt said that the work is important because Native Hawaiians are dealing with more social problems.

Wendt, a former Native Hawaiian Legal Corp. executive director, envisions registration first, then delegate elections for a Native Hawaiian constitution, which will also be voted upon. She didn't say what role non-Native Hawaiians would have in this nascent process.

"To resolve some of these issues we need to get everyone involved," Waihee said.

Personally, Wendt said, she wants to see a sovereign Hawaiian state with its own justice system, police, health and human services, natural resource management and recognition by other nations. Wendt said that doesn't mean Hawaii will no longer be a part of the United States.

Unifying Native Hawaiians allows them to have more impact over policies that affect their lives, Wendt said. The people have been marginalized. But she wants a peaceful transition, noting that she and her family are not 100 percent indigenous.

This promises to be a very complex and long process, she said, but empowering.

"Hopefully this will be done as exponentially as possible, considering the issues we face," Waihee said. "For instance, I read the other day there are more Native Hawaiians in prison than enrolled at the University of Hawaii."

There is a seafaring term to describe a churning storm condition at sea when winds, currents and waves all seem to be coming from different directions. The term for this condition is a confused sea. I think we have a confused sea condition with the Native Hawaiian Roll Commission.

In my humble attempt to navigate the confusion, I begin by directly quoting the law: "The purpose of this chapter is to provide for and to implement the
recognition of the Native Hawaiian people by means and methods that will facilitate their self-governance, including the establishment of, or the amendment to, programs, entities, and other matters pursuant to law that relate, or affect ownership, possession, or use of lands by the Native Hawaiian people, and by further promoting their culture, heritage, entitlements, health, education, and welfare. … The publication of the initial and updated rolls shall
serve as the basis for the eligibility of qualified Native Hawaiians whose names are listed on the rolls to participate in the organization of the Native Hawaiian governing entity." So, before we leave the main road and travel the back roads, let us understand that the law seems clear and is no more, or less, than stated above.

As a trustee out in the community, I have been asked why there is a roll commission and how it relates to Kau Inoa. Here's what I know. First, Kau Inoa was a community initiative involving many organizations, including the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs and OHA. On the other hand, the roll commission was established by the Hawai'i state Legislature. Even though they are separate programs, the people who registered for Kau Inoa will be contacted and asked if they wish to have their names transferred to the new
roll commission registry.

Second, the roll commission has its own governance authority of five commissioners led by former Gov. John Waihee. OHA was deliberately positioned at a distance by the Legislature so as to avoid contaminating
roll commission operations as simply being an extension of OHA. The roll
commission should not be saddled with OHA's political baggage.

Third, the roll commission is not an initiative designed to support the Akaka bill. The political anticipation is that the Akaka bill will not survive congressional Republican opposition. The roll commission signals a new political strategy toward self-determination. The roll commission is a virtual voter registration process. It anticipates a Native Hawaiian Governing Entity by identifying the citizenry to be governed.

Fourth, in spite of some of the trumpeting describing the roll commission as a step to forming a Hawaiian nation, pursuit of federal recognition, nation
within a state, and other pre-registration notions, such outcomes are far from being a given. So that, once the blood-quantum-required citizenry is defined, it is up to them, through some hopefully democratic process, to revisit the question "if there be a nation, who shall be its citizens" that might include
non-Hawaiians who have genealogical histories of being citizens of the
Hawaiian Kingdom at the time of the overthrow in 1893 – explosive stuff.
Further, the citizenry should also give serious deliberation and thoroughly vet the pros and cons of federal recognition and whether or not it truly provides self-determination.

In the end, I would encourage Hawaiians of all persuasions to sign up. We need your voice. From my aging perch I would also reach deep into our brilliant youth to engage and challenge us old dogs with a future that you and your children will live to see long after we are gone. Ua mau ke ea o ka 'äina i ka pono.

One of the most socially and politically relevant Hawaii races in 2012 could go unnoticed if voters fail to recognize a fundamental shift in power taking place in the politics of land ownership.

Cooper and Daws' thesis in Land and Power in Hawaii (University of Hawaii Press, 1990), namely that land means power, is being played out by the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) which has quietly undergone transformation from a contentious and marginalized organization in the ‘80's to a well-tuned professionally managed agency now empowered with growing land-holdings.
Whether it is the 30 acres of Kakaako waterfront property acquired this year as partial debt payment by the State, or the recent transfers of land on Maui and the Big Island, or the purchase this month of the Gentry Pacific Design Center, OHA's growing real estate portfolio is on hyper-drive. Now, that is actually good news for whoever will benefit from the OHA trust, which also receives at least $15-20 million per year from the State for rents on the Hawaiian ceded lands.

But the question of who will benefit and how society will be impacted is controlled by a nine member board of trustees which has embraced the recent legislation establishing the Native Hawaiian Roll Commission (Act 195) signed into law this summer by Governor Abercrombie. In line with the Act, the mechanisms are now set in motion to register individuals to become part of a potential Hawaiian nation on the basis of race.

Those who cannot document that they are blood descendants of Pre-Captain Cook native Hawaiians, which is at least 80% of Hawaii's population, are excluded from participation in this potential nation. The irony is that in creating the appearance of being for Hawaiians, the Act is very un-Hawaiian. Queen Lili'uokalani and the monarchs who preceded her worked hard to empower a vision of Hawaii as a culturally diverse, egalitarian society based upon the principles of Hawaiian inclusiveness and Western democracy.
The deposed Hawaiian Kingdom which became annexed to the United States at the end of the 19th Century consisted of Hawaiians by blood and Hawaiians at heart. Lili'uokalani had warmly embraced individuals of Caucasian, Japanese, Chinese, Filipino, and other ancestries, as citizens of the Hawaiian Kingdom. Many were her most loyal subjects and served the common good as business leaders, government ministers, pastors, teachers, civil service workers, and ordinary citizens.

According to the Native Hawaiian Roll Commission Act, these citizens and their descendants without Hawaiian blood would be excluded from a Hawaiian nation. Like much poorly worded and politically expedient legislation, this conception of a society with a racial litmus test will receive its appropriate challenge at the state or federal Supreme Court level. Until then, it will have the potential to tear at the fragile social fabric which unifies all of us in the Aloha state.

By Supreme Court ruling (Rice v. Cayetano, 528 U.S. 495, 2000) every registered voter in Hawaii has the right and the duty to vote in the election of OHA trustees, which takes place in the General Election. While one of the mandates of OHA is to care for the needs native Hawaiians, the organization as an agency accountable to the citizenry of Hawaii, is also under obligation to serve the common good.

I am on record as the only candidate for Trustee of OHA in the upcoming General Election opposed to calls for a race-based Hawaiian nation or separate sovereign entity. While I am a passionate advocate for the welfare and betterment of Hawaiians by blood, I am committed to Queen Liliuokalani's vision of Hawaii as a land which also embraces Hawaiians at heart, regardless of race.

At stake in the upcoming General Election is whether OHA will use its growing wealth and power to fuel a vision of a racially divided Hawaii or will fulfill the noble vision of Lili'uokalani, a Hawaii which is a true melting pot.

Dr. Akina is a philosopher who lectures on business and government ethics in Chinese and American universities. He is a candidate for Trustee-at Large of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs in the upcoming General Election. His website is
www.Akina2012.com .
He can be reached at
kelii@EWLE.net.

==============

The OHA monthly newspaper for October 2012 contained several pages with multiple stories about Kana'iolowalu, the new racial registry being assembled under Hawaii Act 195 (2011) which dovetails with the federal Akaka bill. OHA CEO pep talk; Former Governor John Waihe'e, chairman of Kana'iolowalu; a comparison among past racial registries including Operation Ohana, the OHA Hawaiian Registry, Kau Inoa; a description of initial reluctance on the mainland; a passionate appeal from Kehaulani Abad saying that the Hawaiian dream is not the American dream and ethnic Hawaiians need a racial separatist power base..

I greet you today with much hope. For our lähui, our people, and all those who stand with us, this is an era of opportunity -- not because we are experiencing great prosperity and ease, but because it is a time of tremendous challenge.

There are attempts by some to erode the laws that are intended to preserve our traditional cultural practices. There are attempts to end federally funded programs aimed at helping Native Hawaiians. And there soon will be deep, sustained federal funding cuts that will have a major impact on programs in our Hawaiian communities and throughout the state over the next several years.

So we find ourselves in a time when we must do more than wait for others to help. It is a time requiring us to be purposeful and planful, to be coordinated and unified, but most of all, to be informed and engaged. E komo pü ka mäpuna hoe! Put in your paddle, get involved, stay involved!

Our goal for Ka Wai Ola is to provide timely and thoughtful articles, commentaries and announcements that educate our community so that we can stay informed, take action i mana ka leo, so our voice will be empowered.

This slogan, I Mana ka Leo, is one that you may have seen on T-shirts that OHA is sharing. We are doing this to remind everyone of the power of our engaged voice, whether at the voting polls or in any situation when we are
inspired to share our mana'o and take action.

This edition is particularly important because it explores Hawaiian self-governance, the issue that will have the largest impact on our lähui and that may be the best means to address our many challenges.

Today, one of the most important initiatives forwarding self-governance is Kana'iolowalu, a yearlong effort of the Native Hawaiian Roll Commission. Its goal is to register a large body of Native Hawaiians, all of us who affirm our unrelinquished sovereignty and who are ready to be involved in the process of nation building.

OHA believes that the Kana'iolowalu roll can assist all of the various Hawaiian self-governance efforts, because a large registry would confirm that there is broad support for Hawaiian self-governance. There are not merely pockets of small groups who support one or another effort, but a mass of us calling for the formation of a Hawaiian self-governing entity.

What that entity will be is wide open for consideration. Kana'iolowalu is not promoting any specific form of self-governance.

As for Kana'iolowalu, its kuleana is limited to establishing the roll of Native
Hawaiians. Once the enrollment process is complete, the Native Hawaiian Roll Commission will dissolve.

OHA's kuleana will be to support the process of nation building. This OHA role will take the form of providing information, as with this Ka Wai Ola edition.
And in future months, our kuleana will involve a series of educational forums that OHA we will be hosting.

The purpose of the forums will be to convene a wide array of Hawaiian leaders involved in selfgovernance initiatives to share their perspectives and
proposals for gaining state, federal or internationally recognized sovereignty.

OHA's role in the forums will not be to set the direction or outcome of the various efforts but rather to facilitate the dialogue so that we can all be better informed. With this education, we can then make clear decisions about
our individual roles.

OHA also commits to facilitating an eventual decisionmaking process that will allow our lähui to collectively determine our course of action to exercise self-governance.

As we do so, let us be inspired by the opportunities ahead to shape a new Hawaiian world founded upon the ancestral traditions, practices and strength of our küpuna and unlimited in the possibilities that will allow us to incorporate all the best that the world has to offer.

E kaupë aku nö i nä hoe, a kö pü mai, a pae ka wa'a. Let us put forward our paddles and draw them back together until we land. Let us stay involved and continue paddling together until we complete our journey.

From the courtroom to the Capitol, former Gov. John D. Waihe'e III has been championing and supporting Native Hawaiian rights and initiatives for more than 35 years, including his current role as chairman of the Native Hawaiian Roll Commission. We sat with the governor for some straight talk on questions surrounding Kana'iolowalu, a yearlong project to register Native Hawaiians who will participate in the organization of a governing entity.

Q: Why is Kana'iolowalu so important? Why this? Why now?

A: All that we have accomplished as a people in holding on to, protecting and strengthening our Native Hawaiian rights and status over the past 120 years have been stepping stones for reclaiming our self-governance. Pressures and attacks as well as opportunities are upon us. We must maintain this foothold and now use a political power to holo i mua (progress). This power will only come as we unite as Hawaiians and have our collective voice be heard. That time is right now. And that is the purpose of Kana'iolowalu -- to reunify the
sovereign identity of Native Hawaiians through self-recognition. Our Hawaiian nation exists today because our Queen Lili'uokalani, our küpuna and all of us have refused to let it die. We never relinquished our sovereignty. The Kana'iolowalu petition and registry are public statements of our collective self-recognition of this unrelinquished sovereignty and our commitment to moving forward together.

Q: Act 195, which authorized the roll commission, mentions the state's support of federal recognition. Is Kana'iolowalu going to automatically lead to federal recognition?

A: There is nothing automatic about federal recognition. The purpose of the Kana'iolowalu registry is for Native Hawaiians to put their names on a public roll, or list, of those who will be involved in moving towards self-governance.
Those who sign up will have the kuleana of determining, among other things, what form of government to pursue. Whether that is federal recognition or not is up to those who take a stand now and sign up to be on the roll. That is why signing up is so important.

Q: What are the implications of the recent mark up of the Akaka bill that now includes a direct reference to the Native Hawaiian Roll Commission?

A: Kana'iolowalu does not automatically lead to any particular form of self-governance. Gaining federal recognition through the new version of the Akaka bill will still require an action by those who are on the Kana'iolowalu registry to organize in order to move forward to pursue federal recognition. This revision to the Akaka bill means that if the bill passes and those of us on the registry choose federal recognition as our option for self governance, then that path is there for us to pursue. Simply put, the Akaka bill opens up another option for us to consider when those of us on the roll convene.

Q: What is your message to Hawaiians about signing up or not signing up with Kana'iolowalu?

A: Our nation remains. Our sovereignty remains. Now we need to act as a unified collective, committed to working together to determine what our future as a nation is going to be. Whatever your view is about how to move forward or what form of government to pursue -- or even if you don't have a really strong opinion at this point -- do not give up the opportunity to be involved and have your mana'o be heard. Our Queen Lili'uokalani would want all of us to be counted.

Over the last two decades, OHA has supported three separate initiatives to register Native Hawaiians. Below is a description of those initiatives and how they connect with Kana'iolowalu -- the ongoing enrollment effort of the Native Hawaiian Roll Commission.

Operation 'Ohana

Operation 'Ohana began in 1989 as a worldwide enrollment campaign for "all Hawaiians to stand up and be counted as Po'e Hawai'i, the Hawaiian people." By 2001, Operation 'Ohana had approximately 29,000 registrants (18,000 with verified Native Hawaiian ancestry).

In 2002, Operation 'Ohana closed to make way for OHA's Hawaiian Registry,
but Operation 'Ohana files are still maintained by OHA and used as reference at the request of individual registrants.

Hawaian Registry

OHA's Hawaiian Registry is open to all Hawaiians who are lineally descended from the aboriginal peoples that inhabited the Hawaiian Islands in 1778. In 2003, the state enacted a law (HRS § 10-19) requiring OHA to maintain a registry of all persons of Native Hawaiian ancestry.

Today, the Hawaiian Registry has more than 26,000 registrants with verified Native Hawaiian ancestry. Registration applications are accepted via mail, e-mail and walk-in at any OHA office.

Kau Inoa

Kau Inoa was a self-governance initiative started by OHA and administered by Hawai'i Maoli. Kau Inoa gave people an opportunity to declare their Native Hawaiian ancestry, their intent to participate in government reorganization, and their desire to be included on an official public list.

When Kau Inoa was created, it was not clear when or how the official public list would be formed, but Kau Inoa played a key role in moving self-governance efforts forward and identifying participants.

Kana'iolowalu

Kana'iolowalu is a yearlong effort to create the official public list of Native Hawaiians. According to the law that calls for the creation of the list, if your name appears on the list:

(1) You and your descendants will be acknowledged by the Stateof Hawai'i as members of the indigenous, aboriginal, maoli people of Hawai'i, and

(2) You will be eligible to participate in a convention organized by the Native Hawaiian people (not the state) where important decisions will be made about whether, when and how to reorganize a Native Hawaiian governing entity.

The Conection Between Operation 'Ohana, the Hawaian Registry, Kau Inoa and Kana'iolowalu

Native Hawaiians who have had their ancestry verified through Operation 'Ohana, the Hawaiian Registry or Kau Inoa can use that verification to prove ancestry when registering for Kana'iolowalu.

In addition, because Kau Inoa and Kana'iolowalu collected similar information for a similar purpose, Kau Inoa registrants can have their information transferred to Kana'iolowalu through a shorter registration process. Transfers will only happen at the registrant's request. Please see the Letter to Kau Inoa Registrants on the left hand side of this page for more information.

Enacted more than a year ago, many Native Hawaiians on the continent are
as yet unfamiliar with the State of Hawai'i's Act 195 and the Native Hawaiian Roll Commission. Even fewer have heard of "Kana'iolowalu," the name given to the yearlong effort to enroll Native Hawaiians to have a voice in their
self-governance.

But those who have are sensing hope for future generations. Aunty Emma Sarono, hope pelekikena (vice president) of Moku'äina A Wakinekona Hawaiian Civic Club in Washington state, sees Kana'iolowalu as a way to improve the future for her mo'opuna, her grandchildren.

Sarono, who first heard about Kana'iolowalu during last year's Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs' annual convention, is leading the registration campaign in the Tacoma area.

Well known for her civic-mindedness, she registered soon after the campaign was launched in July 2012. While aware of potential resistance to the registry, Sarono nonetheless understands its source.

They've embraced Hawaiian registry programs, such as Kau Inoa, before. Once their names were taken, they heard nothing more about it.

"People are tired," she said. "They tired of doing all these things. But you cannot give up. See, when you give up, we going be the losers. We need to keep at it."

At its meeting in early September, Sarono says the civic club's members were initially "shocked" to hear of the new registration campaign. She asked them to save their "gripe" until after she finished her presentation.

"Soon as I got through (the Kana'iolowalu presentation), all the information that I had, everybody was grabbing it," says Sarono.

One of the main points she made was the benefit to mo'opuna (grandchildren) and future generations of Native Hawaiians, who will witness
the birth and blessings of the long hoped-for Native Hawaiian governing entity.

"They (the mo'opuna) are the main ones of all (who will benefit)," she said. "You're not going to be here. I'm not going to be here. But at least we left that portion for them. We left that open space for them."

Having lived among the Native Americans of the Pacific Northwest for 43 years, Sarono saw the difference between the lives of descendants of Native Americans who had registered as a tribal member and those who hadn't.

Concerns for the future of their children were likewise a motivating factor for the Helenihi 'ohana of Vancouver, Washington.

On a June visit to O'ahu, for daughter Ashley's attendance at Kamehameha Schools' Explorations Ho'olauna enrichment program, Mari Helenihi registered
all three children, Ashley, 12, Troy, 8, and Naomi, 2, with OHA's Hawaiian Registry to ensure their eligibility for programs benefiting Native Hawaiians. Being counted as a Native Hawaiian is something the Helenihi family takes seriously. Mari's husband, Aaron Helenihi, a 1991 Kamehameha Schools
graduate and board member of the Vancouver, Washington, nonprofit Ke Kukui Foundation, benefited from a Kamehameha Schools scholarship that supported his college education at the University of Southern California.

Mari Helenihi was surprised, after returning home to Vancouver, to hear about the Kana'iolowalu registry, and says she would probably have registered her family for it as well had she known of it.

Mary Alice Kaiulani Milham, a Portland, Oregon-based freelance journalist, is a former newspaper reporter and columnist from California's Central Coast.

A sovereign nation exercises authority over an area. With this power, a nation creates laws and institutions that embody its culture and forwards the best
interests of its people.

In the 1800s, Hawaiian leaders established a government that did just that.

Its sovereign independence was recognized worldwide, with treaties, legations and consulates extending to more than 90 nations in the European, American, Asian and Pacific regions.

It developed an educational system producing one of the most literate populations in the world.

It was on the cutting edge of technology, with hydroelectric power from
Nu'uanu Stream lighting Honolulu street lamps and 'Iolani Palace -- years before the White House was wired for electricity.

At the same time, our nation was firmly rooted in cultural traditions. Our people supported themselves following generations-old sustainable practices. Hula thrived, musical compositions abounded, mo'olelo (histories, literature,
and traditions) were shared and preserved in newspapers.

Through the Hawaiian language newspapers, our küpuna kept abreast of global events, debated political issues of the day and read translations of literary works from around the world -- some even before they were translated to English (e.g., 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea).

A multiethnic society emerged, as our küpuna opened their hearts to people of all races. Children of mixed ancestry were welcomed in 'ohana, schools and
communities.

Our Hawaiian nation was ahead of its time.

But when the United States illegally, unprovoked and with military force, overthrew the Hawaiian Kingdom, tremendous damages to our lähui (nation and people) ensued.

>> Our Hawaiian Kingdom, which forwarded the values, practices and beliefs of our lähui, was no longer in charge. Others, with different ideals, were in power.

>> 1.8 million acres of Hawaiian crown and government lands -- over 43 percent of all lands in Hawai'i -- were seized and controlled by the new government, creating a staggering economic and cultural loss.

>> A vital part of Native Hawaiian tenant rights was ignored. Native Hawaiian tenants in the Kingdom could gain "a fee-simple title to one-third of the lands possessed and cultivated by them." The fee-simple title could be reified
"whenever" the monarch or native tenant desired to enact the division (Dec. 18, 1847, Hawaiian Kingdom Privy Council).

We are still reeling from these losses. For even 109 years later, our lähui has not fully assimilated into America.

American sovereignty makes possible its "American dream" -- that every individual can achieve, through hard work, ever greater prosperity.

But the American dream is not the Hawaiian dream. That difference is a fundamental problem we face as Hawaiians. It is why we are in constant battles at the Legislature, in the courts, at hearings of government agencies. Being Hawaiian under a government that is not Hawaiian is often a struggle.

A Hawaiian dream -- one shared by many in Hawai'i of all races and creeds -- would recognize our intrinsic connection to the natural world, honor our perpetual relationship to our küpuna (ancestors) and mo'opuna (descendants), seek collective success for 'ohana and communities, and consider longterm impacts of our actions for generations to come.

For more than a century, these aspirations have not been at the core of our governance. Our language was excluded from everyday use in schools, government and commerce. Water was diverted from streams, taro patches and fish spawning areas. Our küpuna were evicted from their burial grounds.
Our people have been so disenfranchised that they must focus only on daily survival in the system and are pulled away from their cultural roots.

Yet in the midst of these struggles, we still have a choice, a simple but profound decision to choose our journey. We can assimilate more completely so our na'au no longer aches when we think of what was lost, imagining that it was all for the best. We can accept the status quo, hang on to our Hawaiian identity, beliefs and practices, and bear the strain of conflict with the system.

Or we can strive for what three decades of Hawaiian leaders sought to achieve: restored Hawaiian sovereignty -- whether as an independent nation with complete authority over Hawai'i or as a federally recognized nation with partial autonomy.

In either context, we could establish our nation on a strong cultural foundation and integrate the best of what the world has to offer in our modern world. We would shape our laws, institutions and priorities that would serve the best interests of our lähui, that would encourage us to be Hawaiians, that would bring to life the Hawaiian dream.